


Faces

by genericfanatic



Series: Voltron Trek [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Galra Keith (Voltron), Gen, Imprisonment, Medical Experiments, Star Trek inspired, Torture, its weird...just...just read it, okay there IS a character death but its not temporary but its also not permanent?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 02:19:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8514922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericfanatic/pseuds/genericfanatic
Summary: Shiro and Keith are captured on a mission and taken to mining facility. 
Meanwhile, Keith is taken to a lab and learns about his heritage. 
Wait...
How can those both be happening at the same time?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Well this took way longer than I intended. But it's also a way longer story. hopefully future installments won't take as long. 
> 
> Based on the Star Trek Voyager episode: Faces

Keith’s eyes struggled to open. Something was wrong, something was very, very wrong. “Ah,” A voice said, “You’re finally awake. Good. I was afraid you were dead.”

Keith was overcome with a sense of danger. This voice, this alien, was a danger. He needed to run.

He pulled to sit up, but found his legs and arms restricted. He pulled as hard as he could, but they only burned against the tight restraints. “Sorry about that, Keith,” The man said, “I promise, you’re safe here.”

He opened his mouth, wanting to yell, scream, curse out the man, but what came out of his throat was a roar, like an animals roar. Confused he snapped his jaws shut. “Ah, yes,” The alien said, “I’m afraid your situation may be a bit different than you remember. Please, relax, this may come as a bit of a shock.

Two alien faces came into Keith’s view. One was a heavily scarred and burnt man, his face covered in stitches and what might have been sickly pink-ish blood. The second face was purple, and more instantly recognizable. It was a Galra, with purple fur and bright glowing yellow eyes.

He grimaced at the Galra, and it snarled at him. Groggy and disoriented, it took Keith several seconds to realize the Galran face wasn’t attached to a body, but was trapped in a mirror the other alien was holding up to him. 

Keith roared again.

 

“Move.” The Vidigon pushed Shiro forward. 

Shiro turned wanting to punch him in his scarred, stitched, bloody face, but held back. He hated being in prison. At the very least it wasn’t a Galran prison…again. No, this time it was a race that had been badly hurt by the Galran, maybe even worse than he had. 

“The other human,” He practically screamed at the Vidigon. “I’ve been here for days, no one will tell me. What did you do with the other human?”

“Move,” He said again, staring down at Shiro. 

Shiro grimaced at him. “Not until you tell me what you did with my friend!” 

The Vidigon pointed a strange gun at him, and Shiro felt electricity run through him, starting at his metal arm. He screamed out in pain and fell to the ground. The pain finally stopped and he gripped at the device they had placed over his arm, preventing him from using it as a weapon. “Why don’t you take this thing off, huh?” He asked, “You and me, go toe-to-toe for real?”

“Move,” The Vidigon said, pointing the gun at him again. Reluctantly, Shiro stood up and allowed himself to be frog-marched back to his bed. 

Shiro lay down, his body exhausted. The Vidigons had him working in the mines until he was so weak, he wasn’t sure if he could fight even if they did allow him use of his arm. Of course that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.

He looked over. The bunk beside him was empty and tucked properly. Shiro grimaced. The alien, a Betajoran, that had been staying in that bunk had collapsed in the mines earlier that day. Shiro didn’t want to wonder what had happened to him. 

“Move!” A Vidigon guard said at the other end of the room. Shiro closed his eyes, not wanting to hear whatever they were going to do to another prisoner. Several of the other prisoners on the bunks closed their eyes and flinched away as well. Shiro wondered for a moment if ‘move’ was the only word in the Vidigon language.

There was a soft thump beside him. Shiro opened his eyes, wondering if they had brought the Betajoran back. 

In the bunk beside him was not the Betajoran, but a small man with black hair and an all-too-familiar red jacket. “Keith?” 

Keith’s head jerked up from the bed. His face was pale, his eyes sunk. “Sh-Shiro?” he whimpered. He curled up on himself, hugging his knees. “Where….where are we?” 

Shiro got up and sat on Keith’s bunk, putting a hand on his back. Keith flinched from the touch, so Shiro let his arm fall. “What do you remember?”

Keith gripped his arms so tight around the knees, his knuckles were white. “We were…we were going to Vidigonia…to offer a peace treaty with the Vidigons…” Shiro nodded. They had split up in teams of two to find new planets hurt by the Galra, hoping to form an alliance, Hunk and Lance going to one planet, Pidge and Allura to another, and the two of them went here. “They…” Keith continued, “They electrocuted us, or something…”

Shiro nodded, “They knocked us unconscious, yeah. I woke up here,” He gestured to his bunk. “What about you?”

Keith gulped, “I think…I think I was in a lab or something? They were…they were saying things…things that don’t make sense.” Shiro watched tears fall out the corners of Keith’s eyes and was immediately concerned. Shiro had known Keith a long time, and he NEVER cried, not while anyone was around. 

“Hey,” Shiro said, “It’s fine. The team’s going to find us and get us out of here.”

“They…they did something to me,” Keith said, quietly, “I feel…” he swallowed, “I feel weird. Weak.” There was a slam in the room from another prisoner. Keith jerked violently. “Scared.”

Shiro nodded, “It’ll be okay. I’m gonna get you out of here, we’ll fix this.” 

Keith nodded, wiping his eyes. “What’s…what’s on your arm?”

Shiro looked down on the clamp attached to him. “Some sort of…I’m not really sure how it works, but it keeps my hand from being anything other than my hand. Lets the Vidigons feel safe when they’re making me work.”

“What kind of work?” Keith croaked out. 

Shiro sighed. “Well, I’ve been doing some retcon kinda stuff. You see their faces,” He pointed at a Vidigon, “That’s not just their natural alien demeanor. The Galran infected them.”

Keith could barely get himself to look into the Vidigon’s face. “A sickness? That doesn’t feel like the Galran’s MO.”

Shiro shrugged, “From what I can tell, it was part of some experiment on the part of the Druids. They’re literally falling apart. So, they can’t carry out their mining operations. So, they have us doing it for them.”

Keith shuddered. “If they’re so weak, maybe we can overpower them.” He clenched his fist, “Or you can…I’m not really feeling the fight in me.”

Shiro shook his head, “Not with brute force alone. They have these weapons that are basically like tasers, I think. We’re going to have to think of an alternate route.” Keith nodded, still clutching his knees, “In the meantime, though, you should get some sleep. They wake us up early here.”

Keith nodded and lay down on the bed. Shiro watched him, frowning, until he fell asleep. He, for one, knew that trauma could change someone, but it was like Keith wasn’t even the same person, after just a few days. And…did he seem…smaller? Shiro sighed, he wouldn’t figure it out now, and he hadn’t been lying about waking up early.

 

“What. Have. You. Done. To. Me.” Keith demanded through pointed teeth, glaring daggers at the Vidigon. 

The Vidigon smiled, and it might have been warm and pleasant if it didn’t send chills down Keith’s spine. “I am sorry to have altered you, but I need you like this to work on a cure. You will be the savior of the Vidigons.”

Keith growled at him, lunging to punch him but held back by the restraints. “You made me a GALRA!”

“No I didn’t!” The Vidigon flinched away, ”Well. I sort of did. Kind of. But…not really. All I did was separate your Galran and Alien DNA.” He gave a nervous smile.

Keith snarled. “I don’t HAVE Galran DNA. I’m human.”

The Vidigon shook his head, excitedly, “No, no, no, you’re not! Well, 50% of you is not. Was not. But, with my medical expertise, I have managed to isolate the Galran and…human, was it? DNA and,” He put the index finger of both hands together, and then separated them, “split it.”

Keith growled at him again, and he backed up a step. “Who ARE you?” he demanded. 

“My name is Ganath. I’m—I’m a surgeon.” Ganath gulped, “I really am sorry for doing this to you. But—you have to understand. It’s the Galra who’ve done this to us, infected our whole species. Children are dying before they even have a chance to grow up.”

“So…” Keith said, “This is some kind of vengeance kick?”

“No!” Ganath said, waving his arms, “Don’t—don’t you see? The Galran’s designed this disease. They’re immune to it! I believe that cure or immunity or something is in their blood—your blood.” Ganath swallowed, “I couldn’t capture a Galran from the empire—how could I? The disease makes me so weak—but then you come. Don’t you see? You’re a miracle.”

Keith absorbed the information, thinking, “You said you BELIEVE my blood has the cure.” Ganath nodded, “How will you know?”

“Well,” Ganath said, smiling sheepishly, “I’ll know in a few days. After all…I’ve infected you.”

Keith glared at him and then lunged, still restricted, but yelled loud enough that Ganath stumbled back and away.

 

Keith stumbled and fell. Shiro caught him before he hit the ground, “Keep it together, Keith,” Shiro said. Keith panted in his arms unable to speak, “Don’t hyperventilate,” Shiro commanded. Keith nodded, trying to gain control of his lungs. He was covered in sweat and sickly pale.”

The other prisoners sneered at Shiro and Keith. Shiro glared back and they went back to mining. He nervously glanced over at the Vidigon guards. They had yet to notice Keith. “C’mon, Keith,” He silently begged, “you gotta get up.”

Keith finally managed to breath through his nose, but still panted slightly. “Maybe you should let me fall…” He said, also looking at the guards, “Maybe they’ll take me back to the bunks…I can look for a way to contact Allura.”

“No!” Shiro said, a little too forcefully, “Look, Keith, the people they take out of the mine…they don’t come back.” Keith stared at him, astonished. “The prisoners say…they said that anyone who can’t work for them gets sent to donate failed organs to the sick Vidigons. To keep them alive longer.”

Keith’s breath hitched in fear, “Shiro…I don’t think I can keep this up.”

“You can,” Shiro insisted, “I know you can. You train more than anyone else. Even without the strength, you have the diligence to follow through. You’re Keith, I know you can do this.” Shiro looked up. The Vidigon was eyeing them suspiciously, but hadn’t moved yet. 

Keith swallowed. “That’s just it, Shiro. I don’t feel like Keith. I feel…like…like a shell. Like they took Keith away.

Shiro shook his head. “No. Look, I felt like that when I first got out of Galran prison, but its still you, okay? You’re still Keith.”

Keith shook his head. “You don’t understand…”

The Vidigon was starting to make his way towards them. Shiro tried pushing Keith up by force, but he only limped back down. Desperate, he said, “Lance would do it.”

Keith glared at him, that competitive spirit flaring back up in his eyes, “That’s low.”

“Did it work?”

Keith sighed. Using what seemed to be all of his energy, he picked himself out of Shiro’s arms and leaned against the wall. Breathing heavily, he started digging through the cave wall again. It was sloppy, and slow, but enough to make the Vidigon leave them alone.

Shiro worked harder than before, making up for what Keith couldn’t do. “Keith,” he said, hopefully at the proper volume that Keith could hear over his breath and the digging, but that their fellow prisoners wouldn’t listen in. Keith looked at him, acknowledging he spoke, before returning his attention to the wall. “What did they say to you in the lab?”

Keith dropped his tool in surprise. Shiro picked it back up and handed it to him. “I—I told you, it didn’t make any sense.”

Shiro watched him, measured. “It’s been bugging you,” Shiro said, “You were muttering in your sleep.”

Keith winced, but whether at the words or the dirt flying in his face was hard to tell. “They said…they told me they had extracted my Galran DNA.”

Keith continued digging, but Shiro looked concerned. “Galran?”

Keith shrugged, “I told you it didn’t make any sense.”

“Still,” Shiro said, “They obviously did SOMETHING to you.” Keith nodded, “But why would they lie?”

Keith shrugs, “That’s what’s been bugging me.”

 

Keith wasn’t sure if his wrists hurt more from the general joint ache or from how he’d been pulling against the restraints. An hour ago—or he thought it was an hour, time had stopped meaning something—he had been all but writhing in agony. Every few minutes or so, Ganath would come back in and take a blood sample and write observations. Each time, Keith would growl at him, and he’d squeak and run away.

With a last tug, he heard a rip. He froze. Slowly, not daring to hope, he looked to see the restraint on his arm slightly torn. He wiggled his wrist, slipping it out of the restraint as quickly as he could, and then laid his arm still at his side as he heard a noise. 

“The last blood sample was very promising,” Ganath said, coming in, “The disease is actually passing through your system…astonishing.” Ganath came over and smiled down at Keith, “It’s working. My life’s work. With this, I can analyze your blood and find a cure. Thank you.” He lifted a needle up to Keith’s already bruised arm. “You have no idea how much—“

“Don’t.” Keith said glaring at him. Garath froze. “Don’t you dare stick me with that thing again. 

Garath sighed, “I’m very, very sorry. But don’t you understand? Your life will save an entire species. You—you’re a paladin, right? Set to save the universe? Wouldn’t you give your life to save a species?”

Keith swallowed, “I would die to save the lives of others. But I will not lay down and let some coward dictate how I end my life.” 

Garath flinched. “Your right. I am a coward. I have been all my life. But if I can save my people I—“

“You’ll STILL be a coward!” Keith yelled. “You and your species may have been victimized by the Galra, but you had no way of knowing I was Galra before you took me. I didn’t even know before you took me. So you and your people just kidnapped people who offered you friendship, mutilated one and who knows WHAT you did to the other.” 

“He—“ Ganath swallowed, “Your friend is safe. He’s fine. We need people to work our mines. We would do it ourselves if it weren’t for the disease!” He took a breath. “Everything will be better once we have a cure.”

To Ganath’s surprise, Keith let out a laugh. It was short and bitter, but it was the first time he had laughed while imprisoned there. “You know, Ganath, we have a saying about people like you on Earth.” Keith swung his free hand up and curled his hand around Ganath’s throat. “You’re full of shit.”

Ganath gasped for breath as Keith squeezed on his windpipe. Instead of even bothering to try and push Keith’s hands away, Ganath struggled to reach into his pocket and pull out what looked like a taser. Keith redoubled his efforts as Ganath lifted the device, pointing it at Keith, his finger on the trigger.

Then, Ganath dropped it, his eyes rolling into his head as he went limp. Keith let go of him and he fell spread eagled on the floor. Quickly, Keith tore at his restraints, easier now with leverage, and then jumped up, grabbing Ganath’s taser and rushing out of the strange laboratory.

 

Keith was muttering to himself, motivating himself to keep working. His limbs were dying, stretched and in pain. His breath was whining as he dug into the wall. 

Finally his legs couldn’t hold out anymore. They started falling out. Shiro reached over, but also tired, missed him and he lay out on the ground. 

Unluckily the Vidigon guard was closer this time than the last time Keith fell. Shiro leaned over to pick him up, but the Vidigon picked him first. “Wait,” Shiro said, pleading as Keith fought to stay awake, “He’s fine, let him stay, he’s fine.”

Keith fell into the Vidigon’s arms, unable to stand under his own power. Another Vidigon came up, and considered Keith. He nodded his head, and the Vidigon holding Keith started dragging him away.

“NO!” Shiro cried out, leaping at the Vidigon to try and pull Keith back. The second Vidigon electrocuted him and he fell to the ground in pain. Still, he fought to stand up, swinging wildly at them, “You’re not going to take him, you’re NOT! Let him go you monsters!”

“Shiro,” Keith said, breathing heavily, “Don’t!” Only then did Shiro pause, fallen onto all fours as Keith was dragged away. “I’ll be fine, Shiro,” Keith lied, trying to seem more confident than he had in the prison so far, “Stay safe, come for me once the others save you. I’ll be fine,” 

And Keith was dragged out the tunnel. He had trouble keeping his eyes open. His breathing was getting shallower as they dragged him through the tunnels. Despite what he said to Shiro, he was positive they were taking him to die, but even if he was half scared out of his wits now he wasn’t about to let Shiro go down with him.

All of a sudden, the Vidigon dragging him dropped him, screaming in pain. Keith fell on the ground, squirming to get up and at least see what was happening. 

A Galran dressed in Vidigon clothing stood over the Vidigon guard. Whether she was dead was unclear. The sight of a Galran put Keith on high alert, and he backed up to the cave wall, trying to sit up. 

The Galran finally turned his yellow eyes on Keith, squinting confused at him. He stepped forward, and squatted in front of Keith, examining him like he was trying to tell if he was an illusion. Strangely enough, Keith could understand the feeling. The Galran seemed eerily familiar and…it hit Keith all at once. The hair, the face, even the eyes to some extent. He had seen this face often enough. It was his, after all.

The last thing Keith saw before passing out was a pair of Galran arms, lifting him up.

 

Keith—the human Keith—woke up to water being forced down his throat. He choked on it, coughing and blinking as it driveled over his lips and cheeks. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open, finding a pair of yellow eyes staring down at him. “Good,” The Galran said, “You’re alive.”

Keith panicked for just a moment, before remembering what had happened before he fell unconscious. It had felt like a dream. Not the ‘sweep me off my feet’ kinda dream but a dream that was weird and hazy and didn’t make any logical sense when you wake up. But here he was—a Galran version of Keith. 

Galran Keith backed away, and the human watched him stoke a fire. They seemed to be in one of the older mining tunnels. Above the fire was a rodent roasting on a makeshift spit. The Galran picked up the rodent and blew on it to cool it down. He tore off a leg and handed it to the human. 

Human Keith flinched at the sight in disgust. It looked like it didn’t have any fur that would be too disgusting, but still, it was gross. “What is it?” He asked. 

“It’s food,” Galran Keith said, “Eat!” The human flinched, holding the leg while touching as little of it as he could. “You need energy. Eat!”

Pressured, Human Keith took a bite. The texture was weird, but he forced himself to swallow. The Galran smiled, scarfing down his own leg of rodent. He cracked his knuckles, flinching as though it pained him. “So,” he said, “You’re what’s left when they take out all of the Galran DNA, huh?”

Human Keith’s eyes looked to the ground, unable to meet the Galra’s stare. “So…it’s true,” Keith said. “I really am…half Galran…”

“You were,” Galran Keith said, “Now you’re just as human as you always thought. And it turns out you’re a little bitch.”

Human Keith’s gaze snapped up to him, “Sorry?”

“You’re not forgiven.” 

“No,” Human Keith shook his head, “Not sorry like an apology like…” he trailed off. “Quiznak…it all makes sense now. Why I haven’t been feeling as angry as usual. It’s because of you.” He glared at the Galran, “YOU’RE the reason for all my uncontrollable anger. YOU’RE what makes me like this.”

Galran Keith kept eating the rodent, its juices running all over his face and into his fur. “So? You now realize I’m the reason you have a personality.”

“Personality?” Human Keith said, disbelieving, finally some anger cropping up but nothing as intense as he was used to. “You—You’re why we could never fit into a good foster home. You’re why we got booted from the Garrison. Why we push people away instead of—“ 

Galran Keith snarled at him, baring pointed teeth, and the human froze. “It was good all those things happened.” He said, “If they didn’t, we wouldn’t have found Voltron.”

“And where has that lead us?” Human Keith said, shakily standing up. “We’re stuck in these caves while Shiro is out there trying to stay alive, and—and we’re eating fucking rodent!”

Galran Keith stood as well, and the human couldn’t help but notice how he flinched every time his joints moved. “You know where Shiro is?”

Human Keith stared at his limbs. The Galran was holding them as still as he could, as though the movement itself pained him. “You’re hurt…”

“Do you know where he is?” Galran Keith repeated. Hesitantly, the human nodded. “Good. Then once we finish eating, we’ll go get him.”

“How?” Human Keith asked. “I can barely stand, you’re in pain, and there are million Vidigon’s guarding the miners.” 

“We’ll fight.” Galran Keith said, lifting the Vidigon weapon he had stolen, “We are the red paladin of Voltron, we can take out any enemy that stands against us.”

Human Keith clutched his head in frustration. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re going to get us killed like this.”

“I saved your life!” 

“Which is not going to mean much when we’re both dead!” 

Galran Keith growled at him, but this time the human didn’t flinch away. He squinted at his counterpart. “You’re not scared anymore.”

Human Keith blinked, “Why should I be scared of you? You’re me, right?”

Galran Keith smiled, “You’ve always been scared of me before. Scared of the anger inside of you.” He poked a finger at the center of Keith’s chest. 

Truth be told, Human Keith was still shivering in fear. He still felt weak and strange. “I guess, now that I’ve seen you and know who you are…I don’t have as much to be scared of.”

Galran Keith looked oddly proud of the human. “Alright then.” He stepped back and leaned against a wall, “So, what do YOU suggest we do?”

Human Keith swallowed. “If…if we can get to some kind of communications hub…we might be able to send a message to Allura Then they could come get us.”

Galran Keith nodded, thinking. “There were a bunch of computers and things in the Lab where they kept me.” He put his weapon in his belt, and grabbed ahold of the Human’s arm to keep them both steady, “C’mon.”

 

Shiro watched the guards. He had to get out of these bunks. His mind was racing, trying not to imagine what horrible things they might have done with Keith.

It was possible that they had decided not to kill him, and instead took him back to the laboratory for more experiments. He didn’t want to imagine what horrors lay there either, but at the least Keith might still be alive. It was his best bet. 

He had been watching the guards ever since he arrived at these bunks. It was getting near the end of this current one’s shift, and he was tired. If Shiro maneuvered just right, he might be able to surprise him, take his weapon, and escape. 

He shifted, slowly getting off his bunk, when he watched in horror as a new guard came to the door. It was a different guard than the usual one that came at this time, a woman. And she was early.

The old guard seemed just as confused as Shiro was, but after a moment of quiet arguing with the woman, he left. The new Vidigon swept over the bunks with her eyes, landing on Shiro. Shiro quickly averted his gaze. Damn, he would have to wait until her shift was over. That was hours from now, and who knew what they would have done to Keith by then. 

The guard came up to him, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ground. She nudged his shoulder with her weapon. “Get up,” she whispered.

Shiro kept himself from his instinct of strangling her. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Funny,” She said, her voice rising enough he could make out her familiar accent, “And here I thought you would WANT to get out of here.”

Shiro stared up at her. It was difficult to tell underneath the scars and stitches, but two marks beneath her eyes were not the pink blood splotches he thought they were, but the mark of an Altean. “Allura?” He whispered.

She smiled brightly at him. “C’mon,” She said, “We don’t have much time.”

He gladly stood up, his head spinning from the hard labor he’d been doing. “Where’s everyone else?” He asked.

“They’re stuck outside, there’s an energy barrier around the whole mine,” Allura said, guiding him to the end of the room, “Pidge is still working on disabling it, but in the meantime I infiltrated one of their ships and snuck in. Where’s Keith?”

Shiro scrunched his face, disappointed in himself, “They took him. I think to one of the laboratories.” 

Allura nodded, looking at his arm and seeing the device. She grabbed it and tore it off. Instantly, Shiro’s arm lit up purple, and he smirked. “Well then,” She said, “Lets go get him.” 

 

“Hurry up,” Galran Keith said, watching the door. Ganath had been removed, but whether he had gotten up under his own power or been dragged out, the Galran could only guess.

“I’m trying,” Human Keith said, pouring over the controls, “It’s all in alien, and I’m not Pidge, so I think I’m doing pretty well considering.”

“If I wasn’t going to be dead too, I would make sure to have that engraved on your tombstone.”

Human Keith sighed, looking over the computer and trying to decipher the symbols. “There seems to be some kind of energy field. It’s blocking unauthorized communication out of the base.”

“Then take it DOWN.” Galran Keith snarled.”

Human Keith glared at him. “Again, not Pidge.” He pressed a few more buttons, hoping he wasn’t going to trip an alarm or something. “huh, that’s weird.”

“What?” 

“There’s just…there’s energy that’s being directed to the lower mines, but those tunnels are all dug out and empty, not to mention no where near the current mining expeditions. Why would they…” He pressed on the area on what appeared to be an interactive map of the mines. Doing so activated a security camera. “It’s the lions!” 

Galran Keith abandoned his watch of the door to see what the Human was looking at. Red and Black lions sat inside of their shields side-by-side. It must have taken a great deal of resources to move them down there without being able to activate them. 

They both flinched as there was a noise at the door, and the sound of footsteps. “Out of time,” He said, “Lets go.”

With that, he bodily picked up Keith and ran down the corridor in the direction of the lower mines.

 

Shiro and Allura saw a glimpse of purple retreat at the opposite end of the corridor. “Was that a Galra?” Allura asked.

Shiro blinked, “Were there any Galra ships in the area?” Allura shook her head, “Maybe he was another prisoner.”

They headed into the room on the side, into what was clearly a laboratory, but it was empty. “Check for signs,” Shiro said, and the two started scouring the room. 

Allura literally lifted tables and equipment out of the way for any sign that Keith had been there. “Maybe there’s another lab he was taken to, or—“ She looked up to see Shiro had stopped searching, and was frozen in place. “Shiro?”

Shiro turned and held up Keith’s dagger. His face was full of pain. “Shiro,” Allura said, sadly, “That doesn’t mean anything other than the fact he WAS here. You told me you knew that already, he was in the lab before he was in the mines with you.”

“But they didn’t take him back here,” Shiro said, “And if they didn’t…then where did he go?”

Allura swallowed. “I don’t know. But we’ll find him, Shiro, I swear we will.” 

He paused, but nodded, not entirely believing her. Allura kept searching, “Here, Shiro, look,” She pointed at a screen. On it was an image of the Red and Black lion. “Our chances will be much better if we can get the black lion.” Shiro nodded again and followed her down the tunnels. 

 

“There she is.” Human Keith said, as they made it into the chamber with the lions. 

At the same time, they both stepped toward the red lion. Seeing what the other had done, they paused and stared at each other. “I’m the warrior,” Galran Keith said, “I’ll pilot her.”

“You can’t think clearly,” Human Keith said, “Red needs finesse not brute strength.” 

Galran Keith growled, taking out the Vidigon weapon, “Listen, you little ingrate—“ But he was cut off as he pulled the human to the ground, a shot of electricity flying over their heads. “Fine!” the Galran said, “Go!” 

Galran Keith fired back at the Vidigons. There was a swarm of them running down the tunnel, and there wasn’t even any door to block the entrance to the chamber. Snarling, he decided not to try and hide at all, and stood directly in front of them, firing off shots. He felt electricity run through his body whenever they hit him, but kept firing.

Human Keith ran as fast as he could on weak legs to the Red Lion. “Oh, come on,” He said as he slammed his hand against the red shield. The Lion didn’t move. “Again?” 

The Galran screamed out in pain as he was hit with yet another electricity blast, and Human Keith got an idea. Running back, he grabbed the Galran’s hand and pulled him towards the Red Lion, “Come on!” The Galran kept firing at the Vidigon’s, but reluctantly came with the human. 

The human Keith slammed their joined hands against the red shield, and it shimmered and dissolved. The Red Lion lowered its head and opened its mouth, both Keith’s rushing inside. 

Sitting squished in the pilots chair, the two of them worked oddly in sync. “It’s like being a part of Voltron,” Human Keith said, “Red must be linking up our minds.”

“Shut up and fire up these guys.” Galran Keith demanded.

Human Keith did as he was bid and the Vidigon’s scattered out of the way of the breath of fire. With a leap, Red sprang up and ran down the tunnels. “If I remember right,” Keith said, “The bunks should be right…here!” 

It was too small for red to fit in, but just wide enough for his head to stick in the entrance. The Vidigon guards fired at Red, but quickly realized that attempt was moot. In fear, they ran off, several of the prisoners following. 

Red opened her mouth and both Keith’s ran out. The sight of a Galran scared more prisoners into running, but not before Galran Keith grabbed one and rammed him against the wall, “The other human,” He demanded as the prisoner squelched in fear, “Where is he?”

“Th-th-they took him!” the prisoner stammered, “Th-th-the Vidigons! Not long ago!” 

Galran Keith growled and the prisoner squealed. Angrily, Keith dropped him and turned on the human. “Where could they have taken him?” Human Keith shook his head, indicating he did not know. The Galran growled again.

“Keith,” A familiar and unwelcome voice said, “There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere.”

Galran Keith turned on Ganath, who was trembling, but pointing a weapon at them. “I almost killed you once, Ganath,” Galran Keith snarled, “This time I won’t leave the job unfinished.”

Ganath shook his head, meekly. “This isn’t like the other weapons, Keith. This one will kill you. Please, just, come back with me. I need you.”

Galran Keith snarled. “You wouldn’t kill me,” he said, “Like you said, you need me. I’m your savior. You can’t.”

Ganath nodded, “You’re right. But I can kill him.” He pointed the weapon at Human Keith. The human’s eyes went wide with terror.

Before any of them could react further, there was another growl that the Keith’s recognized as the Black Lion. The ground shook and behind Ganath a giant black snout erupted from the dirt below. Panicked, Ganath pulled the trigger. 

“NO!” Galran Keith cried, jumping in front of his human counterpart and taking the full brunt of the blast. He fell back, knocking Human Keith to the ground with him.

Ganath’s eyes widened in terror and sorrow. He dropped his gun, appalled, and so distracted he didn’t notice Allura, no longer in disguise, grab him from behind and fling him into a wall. 

Keith, the human Keith, sat up and looked down at the Galran. His eyes lidded and his chest burned through, but still he let out some shaky breaths. “Keith?” He muttered, trying to shake him awake, “Keith!” 

“Keith?” Shiro said, looking down at the pair, “What is a Galran doing here?”

“It’s alright, Shiro,” human Keith said, “He’s a friend, he—he’s me.” 

Shiro frowned, looking between the two of them, until the recognition finally hit, and he frowned deeper, more confused. Galran Keith looked up at his human counterpart, opening his mouth and whispering, “Stay…strong…” his breaths were becoming raspier.

“Shiro, Keith,” Allura said behind them, “We have to get out of here.”

“I’m not leaving him behind!” Human Keith protested, clutching the dying Galran still. 

Shiro sighed. “Allura, help carry him into the Red lion. We’ll explode the shield generator and get out of here.”

Allura nodded, and carefully lifted Galran Keith, Human Keith following her. 

 

Galran Keith used his last remaining energy to help pilot toward Lion Castle, and then died.

“Two Keiths,” Lance whistled, “I don’t know how the universe survived that for as long as it did.”

Pidge and Hunk both smacked him, shaking their heads, “Dude,” Hunk said as the dead Galran lay out in front of them, “Not cool.”

“What?” Lance said, “Keith’s not really DEAD. He’s right there, he—“ He pointed to where Human Keith was standing over his Galran counterpart, and for once, shut up at the image of him, visibly shaking. 

“This is fascinating technology,” Coran said, scanning both Keith’s. “More advanced medically than anything I’ve seen. But I should still be able to use his DNA to reintegrate it with Keith’s. Er, the human Keith.”

Keith blinked at him. Shiro cleared his throat, “Are you sure that’s…I mean, is it necessary?” 

“Quite,” Coran said, “Keith’s body functions have become dependent on his Galran side. Without them, his organs will begin failing.”

Keith smirked, “So he saved my life again.” He took a deep sigh, and saw the uneasiness on Shiro’s face. “It’s alright, Shiro. It’s strange, but…He’s the piece that was missing. Without him, I’m incomplete. Without him, I’m not…I’m not Keith.”

Shiro nodded, “Alright, then.”

Keith stepped away from the Galran and stepped into a medical pod. “Lets get this started.”

**Author's Note:**

> you know, when I decided to parody this episode, I really didn't think about how much harder it is to tell which Keith is which than it was to visibly see the differences with B'elanna on screen. But here we are.
> 
> Also, if you're thinking "Betajorans? Vidigons? Is this person just meshing up star trek aliens names to create new aliens?" Yes. Yes I am.
> 
> \---
> 
> For this series, I have a list of episodes that I'll be doing that I have at least some idea of how to do, but if you have an episode you'd like to request me to parody, let me know! I will be doing mostly one-off type of episodes, so nothing super over-arching or plot-heavy.
> 
> As I'm continuing with this, I realize there WILL be some sense of continuity between the pieces, but I'm still trying to write them so they can be enjoyed separately.
> 
> Let me know what you think! My tumblr is dork-empress.tumblr.com


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